


Caution

by silentflux



Series: A Day in the Life [9]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Community: 60damnprompts, Community: summer_of_giles, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-05
Updated: 2010-06-05
Packaged: 2017-10-16 01:32:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/167013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silentflux/pseuds/silentflux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was written for the challenge above as well as for my first posting date at <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/summer_of_giles/profile"><img/></a><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/summer_of_giles/"><b>summer_of_giles</b></a>.  It's a continuation of my <a href="http://silentflux.livejournal.com/tag/challenge:+60damnprompts">Day in the Life</a> Rupert Giles Series.  The challenge table is <a href="http://silentflux.livejournal.com/82162.html">HERE</a> where it links to the previous fics.  Each prompt was written in order.  This is the ninth day.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Caution

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the challenge above as well as for my first posting date at [](http://community.livejournal.com/summer_of_giles/profile)[**summer_of_giles**](http://community.livejournal.com/summer_of_giles/). It's a continuation of my [Day in the Life](http://silentflux.livejournal.com/tag/challenge:+60damnprompts) Rupert Giles Series. The challenge table is [HERE](http://silentflux.livejournal.com/82162.html) where it links to the previous fics. Each prompt was written in order. This is the ninth day.

_**FIC: A Day in the Life Series, Rupert Giles/Xander Harris, FRT**_  
 **Title:** Caution  
 **Author:** Andrea/[](http://silentflux.dreamwidth.org/profile)[ **silentflux**](http://silentflux.dreamwidth.org/)  
 **Fandom:** Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
 **Pairing/character:** Rupert Giles/Xander Harris  
 **Rating:** FRT  
 **Prompt:** #9. Police for [](http://community.livejournal.com/60damnprompts/profile)[**60damnprompts**](http://community.livejournal.com/60damnprompts/)  
 **Notes:** This was written for the challenge above as well as for my first posting date at [](http://community.livejournal.com/summer_of_giles/profile)[**summer_of_giles**](http://community.livejournal.com/summer_of_giles/). It's a continuation of my [Day in the Life](http://silentflux.livejournal.com/tag/challenge:+60damnprompts) Rupert Giles Series. The challenge table is [HERE](http://silentflux.livejournal.com/82162.html) where it links to the previous fics. Each prompt was written in order. This is the ninth day.

~*~

"Are you sure that was a good idea?" Those questioning words reflected his own conscience even as Giles' spine straightened under the criticism.

"What would you have me do, Xander? Inform the detective that the murderer couldn't have been our slayer or her watcher because a demon did it and then melted into disgusting goo that they can't identify at the crime scene while Jason and Randi's prints and DNA are everywhere?" he answered drily, the stress of the day cutting his words sharp and brisk.

"Well... no? But... God, I hate the police sometimes," Xander sighed in frustration, tugging a hand through his hair as he collapsed onto the couch.

"They are just ill-equipped to understand what we deal with. It's not truly their fault. But I will be calling the Prime Minister if the investigation becomes insistent." Rupert hated to flaunt that type of power, but if the detective was any good, he wouldn't be able to let it go. Only orders would stop someone like that, and even then it wasn't a guarantee. It was exhausting when the normal everyday world collided in such an inconvenient way with the reality of the supernatural.

"The Prime Minister - shit, when did this become my life?" Xander considered, shaking his head.

"I have no idea, but there's nothing to do about it now." Giles stood still for a moment, studying his young compatriot, awkwardly reaching up for his glasses as the memory of the night before slid through his thoughts and stroked along his spine.

"Giles -"

"Did you want some tea? They did wake us up awful early." Rupert couldn't remember the last time he was this flustered by something as simple as a kiss. Of course, that was the problem - it wasn't simple at all.

"Uh - sure," the younger man answered, thrown by the rudeness of the interruption, brow creased as he watched his friend disappear through the doorway to the kitchen. They hadn't really talked at all since the night before. Everything had slotted so wonderfully into place for those few moments against the counter. It had just felt - natural. And Xander couldn't remember the last time something like that had happened for him. But now - now everything was distant and stilted.

Sighing, he stood and followed Giles, standing in the doorway for a moment and just watching the older man move through the familiar routine. Calming himself, putting distance between them. "Giles, do you want to talk about this?"

Rupert froze for just a moment before continuing in his task, responding neutrally, "Talk about what, Xander?" He knew it was the coward's way out to just ignore it, but he wasn't sure he was ready to face what had happened. It had taken the police showing up at the Council's doorstep to bring them back into the same room as he'd been quite happy to not see the younger man until he'd found his equilibrium.

"Really, Giles?" Xander's voice was a lot closer, making the older man's shoulder twitch, but he refused to turn around, finding the tea mugs extremely interesting. "Were you planning to avoid me all day?"

"Of course not," he protested softly.

"That would carry more weight if you'd look at me."

Giles let his head drop for a moment before taking a breath and turning around. He was being ridiculous and he hated it, but he wasn't sure what to do about this. "I just don't know what to do about this," he managed, blue eyes meeting brown.

"So we figure it out. Like usual."

"Usual?"

"Jump in and see what happens?" Xander took another step closer, hand coming up to rest against the side of the older man's neck, feeling each movement and each breath.

"Really, Xander, when have I ever done that?" Giles' lips twitched with a small smile.

"Every day since you met Buffy, Willow and me?"

"Ah yes. Guess that'll do then." Rupert let one of his hands settle on the younger man's hip, pulling him closer, ignoring the cautious voice he'd been listening to all day.

"Good, then." And warm lips slanted over his with a sweetness just as addictive as he remembered.

~*~


End file.
